Janos Starker • Bach Suites for Unaccompanied Cello

My intoduction to Bach’s music was courtesy of my dad,
via Wendy Carlos’ Switched-On Bach, and later
from Sky’s brilliant take on Toccatta from their
second LP, unimaginatively called Sky 2. Eager
to increase my exposure to Bach performed on traditional
instruments, I decided to try this boxed set.

On six sides, this boxed set contains the complete version
of all six of Bach’s suites for unaccompanied cello. The
music is as beautiful and technically compentant as I’d
hoped, and I even learned the identity of a couple of pieces
of music I’d liked as a child but never found out what they
were (especially the Bourrees movement of Suite No. 4 in E-flat).

Originally recorded in 1965, the sound quality on these albums
is quite superb (although one might argue that a solo cello
probably isn’t the most challenging of recording subjects!).
Judging by the sound, I’d say these albums were closely miked,
enabling the minutest detail of Starker’s playing to be captured.

One potential probalem with the sound is this: for much of the
recording a rumbling sound can be heard. At first I though my
pressing was defective, but I quickly realised that it was
sound on the recording that was being reproduced (an observation
that was confirmed by the quietness of the dead wax at the end
of the side). Because it’s quite a deep sound (my guess is fan
noise from the recording environment’s air conditioning, or passing
traffic), I think this issue will only be noticable enough to be
intrusive on a wide-bandwidth system with good bass response. That
said, it’s not that bad, and doesn’t intrude so much as
to spoil one’s enjoyment of the music.

While not totally silent, the record surfaces are quiet,
and all the records in my set were nice and flat. Bach Suites
for Unaccompanied Cello comes in nice presentation box
complete with detailed notes (including some new material written
by Starker himself especially for this reissue). All in all,
Speakers Corner have done a fine job and I enthusiastically
recommend this one!